Physical Science Chapters 1 and 2

The time interval between each change in position of the ball is a. greatest between points F and G b. at a minimum between points B and C and points C and D c. shortest between points F and G d. approximately equal

Answer: D

The time it takes a planet to make one complete trip around the sun is called the planet's a. revolution b. orbit c. rotation d. period

Answer: D

What is Newton's first law of motion

Answer: Newton's first law states that every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force.

Fill in the blank The curved path that an object takes when it is thrown upward at an angle to the ground is called a(n) ____________________.

Answer: Parabola

Fill in the blank ____________________, or the North Star, appears to move very little while the whole nighttime sky appears to revolve around it.

Answer: Polaris

Fill in the blank The ____________________ is the British system unit of force.

Answer: Pound

Fill in the blank An imaginary line joining a planet with the sun is known as its ____________________ vector.

Answer: Radius

Define Newton

Answer: SI unit for power

Fill in the blank Distance is equal to the product of ____________________ and time

Answer: Speed

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Albert Einstein's prediction that light is affected by gravity is verified by experiment.

Answer: Testing the Interpretation

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Johann Gottfried Galle, using the prediction made by Leverrier, discovers the planet Neptune.

Answer: Testing the interpretation

What is Newton's second law of motion

Answer: The second law explains how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force.

What is Newton's third law of motion

Answer: The third law states that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, if object A exerts a force on object B, then object B also exerts an equal force on object A.

Fill in the blank Speed is equal to distance divided by ____________________.

Answer: Time

Fill in the blank ____________________ is equal to distance divided by speed.

Answer: Time

True or False Assuming there is no wind or air friction, a ball thrown upward at a certain speed will return to its starting point with the same speed.

Answer: True

True or False If the distance between a planet and its sun were tripled, the gravitational force applied on the planet by its sun would drop to one-ninth of its original amount.

Answer: True

True or False Kepler's laws of planetary motion are explained by Newton's discovery of the law of gravity.

Answer: True

True or False Scalar quantities require only a number and a unit to be completely specified.

Answer: True

True or False Scientists study nature by using both direct and indirect methods.

Answer: True

True or False The SI unit of force is the newton.

Answer: True

True or False The direction of acceleration of a moving object is always the same as the direction of the net force(s) acting on the object.

Answer: True

True or False The great advantage of SI units is that their subdivisions and multiples are in steps of 10.

Answer: True

True or False The speed or direction of any moving object stays unchanged unless a net force acts upon the object.

Answer: True

Fill in the blank A(n) ____________________ may be represented by an arrowed line that represents the magnitude and direction of a quantity.

Answer: Vector

Fill in the blank The vector quantity that includes both speed and direction is called ____________________.

Answer: Velocity

Fill in the blank ____________________ is equal to mass times the acceleration of gravity.

Answer: Weight

Define Force

Answer: any influence that can cause an object to be accelerated.

Give a description Ptolemy of Alexandria

Answer: believed the earth was stationary at the center of the universe

Give a description Isaac Newton

Answer: discovered the law of gravity

Give a description Johann Gottfried Galle

Answer: discovered the planet Neptun

Give a description Johannes Kepler

Answer: discovered the three laws of planetary motion

Define Vector Quantity

Answer: has both magnitude and direction

Define Scalar Quantity

Answer: has magnitude only

Define Centripetal Force

Answer: inward force on an object moving in a curved path

Give a description Nicolaus Copernicus

Answer: proposed that the earth rotates on its axis and, along with the other planets, revolves around the sun

Define Mass

Answer: quantity of matter in an object

Define Inertia

Answer: resistance an object offers to any change in its state of rest or motion

Define Newtons law of gravity

Answer: states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directly proportional to both their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Define Newton's third law of motion

Answer: states that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts an equal but opposite force on the first.

Define Newton's first law of motion

Answer: states that, if no net force acts on it, every object continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line.

What's the scientific method?

Answer: 1. Formulation of a problem 2. Observation and experiment 3. Interpretation 4. Testing the interpretation

The ptolemaic system fulfilled the requirements of a scientific theory because a. its explanations of celestial motions, based on observations, resulted in testable predictions b. it was presented openly for public inspection when included in Ptolemy's Almagest c. it was believed to represent an accurate view of the universe and solar system by religious leaders and learned scholars of the time d. it provided a "common sense" explanation concerning the observed motions of heavenly bodies

Answer: A

Fill in the blank Force is equal to mass times ____________________.

Answer: Acceleration

A scientific law a. is seldom based upon experimental evidence since it can never be considered to be absolutely true b. usually states a regularity or relationship that describes how nature behaves in a certain, specific way c. explains why certain phenomena in nature take place d. is known to be true beyond a shadow of a doub

Answer: B

Spring tides a. occur only in the spring b. occur when the sun and moon are in line with the earth c. have a low range between high and low water d. occur when the sun and moon are 90° apart relative to the earth

Answer: B

The acceleration due to gravity at the earth's surface is a. 32 m/s2 b. 9.8 m/s2 c. 1.6 m/s2 d. 5.4 m/s2

Answer: B

The centripetal force vector F is always a. tangent to the circle b. directed toward the center of the circle c. directed vertically toward the earth d. directed away from the center of the circle

Answer: B

The rate at which an object travels a certain distance is known as a. velocity b. speed c. momentum d. acceleration

Answer: B

Which statement best characterizes the nature of science? a. The laws and theories of science are based on belief and speculation. b. Science is a living body of knowledge, not a set of unchanging ideas. c. Science has done a poor job of explaining physical phenomena and has failed to improve the quality of human life. d. Science is superior to other aspects of human culture such as religion, art, and music.

Answer: B

A bowling ball and a marble are dropped at the same time in a vacuum chamber. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the results? a. The bowling ball will land first. b. The acceleration of the bowling ball is greater than that of the marble. c. Both have the same speed upon landing. d. The force of impact will be the same for both the bowling ball and the marble.

Answer: C

A tennis player hits a tennis ball with a tennis racquet. If the force supplied by the racquet to the ball is the action force, what would be the reaction force? a. the force transmitted from the racquet to the tennis player's arm b. the resistance of air molecules on the tennis ball c. the force exerted by the tennis ball on the racquet d. the force exerted by the tennis ball on the opposing player's racquet

Answer: C

Newton's discovery of the law of gravity was dependent upon a. the discovery of the planet Neptune b. an understanding of the shape of the earth c. the development of the copernican system of the solar system d. the law that states what goes up must come down

Answer: C

The modern version of the copernican system is considered to be correct because a. most people believe that the copernican system is correct, and the majority viewpoint rules b. predictions of planetary motions based on the copernican system proved to be correct c. there is direct evidence that the earth rotates and the planets revolve around the sun d. a committee of scientists has certified that the copernican system is correct

Answer: C

Fill in the blank In the copernican system, the orbits of the planets are ____________________ in shape.

Answer: Circular

Fill in the blank ___________________ are groups of stars named after objects, animals, people, or mythological beings.

Answer: Constellations

Newton's first law of motion deals with a. force b. acceleration c. weight d. inertia

Answer: D

The principle known as Occam's razor states that a. the most complicated scientific explanation for a given phenomenon is likely to be correct b. a scientific hypothesis that makes common sense is most likely to be correct c. scientific inquiry can never lead to a complete understanding of the natural world because it is impossible to precisely measure any physical parameter d. the simplest scientific explanation for a phenomenon is most likely to be correct

Answer: D

When observable evidence does not agree with a scientific theory a. the truthfulness of the evidence must be questioned since a theory is never wrong b. the evidence is ignored and the theory remains valid c. the theory is reduced in status to a hypothesis d. the theory must be modified or discarded

Answer: D

Which one of the following represents a vector quantity? a. 750 miles/h b. 60 cycles/second c. 220 volts d. 55 km/h toward the north

Answer: D

While driving between Pittsburgh and Chicago, the driver of the car looks at the car's speedometer and notes a speed of 50 miles/hour. The speedometer is indicating the car's a. average speed b. velocity c. terminal speed d. instantaneous speed

Answer: D

Give a description Tycho Brahe

Answer: Danish astronomer whose measurements of planetary motion resulted in revision of the copernican system

Fill in the blank The ____________________ is a great circle midway between the north and south poles.

Answer: Equator

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Johannes Kepler calculates planetary motion from the data of Tycho Brahe

Answer: Experiment and observation

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Tycho Brahe's observatory was able to determine celestial angles to better than 1/100 of a degree.

Answer: Experiment and observation

True or False The study of physical science includes topics in the world of human events such as politics and economics.

Answer: False

True or False The SI unit for power is the joule.

Answer: False The SI unit for power is the watt.

True or False The SI unit for time is the minute.

Answer: False The SI unit for time is the second.

True or False According to Kepler's third law, the speed that a planet travels in its orbit around the sun depends upon the planet's mass

Answer: False The speed that a planet travels in its orbit around the sun depends upon its distance from the sun.

True or False The laws and theories of science represent the ultimate truth about our physical universe.

Answer: False There are no ultimate truths in science; scientific laws and theories are valid only as long as no contrary evidence comes to light.

True or False Astrology has been used to make consistently accurate predictions about the future.

Answer: False There is no evidence that astrology can predict the future.

True or False When first proposed, a scientific interpretation is usually called a theory.

Answer: False When first proposed, a scientific interpretation is usually called a hypothesis

True or False Inertia is the force that resists any change in an object's state of rest or motion

Answer: False. Inertia is not an actual force. A force is any influence that can change the speed or direction of motion of an object. Inertia is the resistance offered by an object to any change in its state of rest or motion.

True or False The force that has to be applied to an object to make it move in a curved path is called centrifugal force.

Answer: False. The force that has to be applied to make an object move in a curved path is called centripetal force.

True or False Your weight remains constant no matter where you are on the earth's surface

Answer: False. The pull of gravity is not exactly the same everywhere on earth; therefore, a person's weight will vary depending upon the person's location.

True of False Speed is an example of a vector quantity.

Answer: False. The speed at which an object moves reveals how fast the object is going, not its direction.

Fill in the blank According to Newton's second law of motion, acceleration is equal to ____________________ divided by mass.

Answer: Force

Which step of the scientific method is this statement A scientist asks what the relationship is between the moon and the earth's tides.

Answer: Formulating a problem

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Isaac Newton wonders if the force holding the planets in orbit around the sun is the same force that pulls objects to the earth's surface.

Answer: Formulating a problem

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Nicholaus Copernicus asks if the planets move around the sun rather than around the earth.

Answer: Formulating a problem

Fill in the blank A(n)____________________is any circle on the earth's surface whose center is the earth's center.

Answer: Great Circle

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Copernicus proposes that the earth rotates once on its axis every 24 hours.

Answer: Interpretation

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Ptolemy of Alexandria describes a model of the universe with the earth stationary at its center and with the sun revolving around the earth.

Answer: Interpretation

Which step of the scientific method is this statement Urbain Leverrier of France and John Couch Adams of England propose that an unseen and unknown celestial body is responsible for the observed discrepancies in the orbit of Uranus and calculate the unknown body's position.

Answer: Interpretation

Fill in the blank The ____________________ is a unit of speed equal to 1 nautical mile per hour.

Answer: Knot

Fill in the blank The ____________________ of a place on the earth's surface is the angular distance of the place north or south of the equator.

Answer: Latitude

Fill in the blank The ____________________ of a point on the earth's surface is the angular distance between a meridian through this point and the prime meridian.

Answer: Longitude

Fill in the blank A(n)____________________ is a great circle that passes through both the north and south poles.

Answer: Meridian